Our Founder

Bharati Vidyapeeth was established by Dr. Patangrao Kadam on 10th May 1964, when he was hardly nineteen years old. Dr. Kadam came from a middle level peasant family in a small village, Sonsal in Sangli district. Amidst great difficulty Dr. Kadam completed his Primary and Secondary education in village schools and later enrolled himself for higher education in Rayat Shikshan Sanstha’s College at Satara established by Karmveer Bhaurao Patil, who had done pioneering work in the field of education making it available to girls and boys even from distant villages. Inspired as he was by the work of Karmveer, Dr. Kadam made education his life mission. Within a short span of time, Bharati Vidyapeeth became one of the largest educational organizations in the country with an excellent academic reputation. Dr. Kadam has been the Chief Architect of the ground edifice of Bharati Vidyapeeth. Dr. Kadam had genuine concern for the upliftment of deprived and downtrodden, particularity village people, women and Dalits. So he made special effort to make education available to them, which he thought would help them to improve their prospects for better life.

Hon'ble Dr. Patangrao Kadam Founder, Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune Chancellor, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune

All sided development of villagers had also been a major concern of Dr. Kadam. Realising that there is a huge potential in political power for improving the lot of common man, Dr. Kadam joined politics. He was elected as a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly six times over and also held at the position of a Cabinet Minister for several years. He was entrusted with various ministerial portfolios including those of education, Co-operation, Forest Rehabilitation, Industry, and the like. As a Minister Dr. Kadam initiated various innovative programmes that helped people to considerably improve the quality of their life.

Yet another field of Dr. Kadam’s interest was Co-operation. He did splendid work in the field of co-operation. He realised that Co-operation activities would increase the self-confidence of people and imbibe in their minds the spirit of self-development. So he successively established various cooperative units including Sugar Factories, a Bank a Milk Society. Spinning Mills etc. invoking people’s participation in them.

Dr. Kadam had multi-dimensional personality. He gave a very enlightened and visionary leadership to the people of Maharashtra. He was a great philanthropist and offered help to needy persons who sought his help. He had interests in varied activities including those in sports, literature, arts, social work etc.